Smart
by Ellivia22
Summary: While struggling through a complicated math assignment, Zack learns that it never hurts to ask for help. Zack/Cody NOT twincest. R&R


(A/N: Hello! I know it's been a while. I've been really busy with work, summer school, and just started karate. I hope you guys are having a great summer so far. I hope you enjoy this story, as always. Take care and please review. Love, Ellivia22)

Disclaimer: If I owned Suite Life, I wouldn't be in summer school right now.

****Smart****

****By: Ellivia22****

****Zack****

__I just don't understand__

I look back and forth between the worksheet and the textbook right next to it. The longer I stare at them, the more confused I get. The more confused I get, the worse I feel.

For once instead of hanging out with my friends after class I've been in my cabin trying to finish this stupid calculus homework. It's only ten problems, but I want to do it right this time. I'm stuck on question one and have been for at least an hour.

Normally I wouldn't care about a stupid homework assignment. Cody almost always does it for me anyway. But this time I want to do it myself. I want to prove that I'm smart. I want to prove everyone wrong.

__I stared longingly at the clock, wishing desperately that class was over. Unfortunately for me there was still ten minutes left. Ms. Tutweiller was going on and on about something Math related. I stared at the clock because I had nothing else to do. Cody wasn't in this class with me and Maya was sitting on the other side of the classroom. I wasn't paying attention to what Ms. Tutweiller was saying. Not because I didn't care, but because I didn't understand.__

__"Zack Martin, are you paying attention?" Ms. Tutweiller asked, breaking into my thoughts.__

Oops__. I struggled to come up with an excuse. "Of course I'm paying attention, Ms. Tutweiller" I gave her one of my charming smiles. "How could I not pay attention to your wonderful teaching skills?"__

__"Then perhaps you can tell us the answer to number 4."__

__I looked at the question on the page of my book. "Differentiate y=3sinz-4cosz." I stared at the question. I felt as though I was reading a foreign language. Nothing in that question made sense to me at all.__

__"We're waiting, Zachary."__

__I tried hard to ignore the people around me who had their hands raised. Was I the only one who didn't know the answer? I swallowed hard. "I don't know."__

__Ms. Tutweiller rolled her eyes, making me feel worse. "It would be a miracle if you graduate this semester."__

__I forced a broad grin on my face to hide the hurt that was building fast. "Well, miracles do happen."__

__For the rest of the class, I struggled to keep my emotions under control. Was I really going to flunk senior year? I shouldn't be surprised. I wasn't smart enough. But it still hurt more than anything.__

__The bell rang, signaling the end of class. I let out a sigh of relief. "Okay class," Ms. Tutweiller said while writing on the chalkboard. "Complete the worksheet I passed out for tomorrow."__

__Quickly I grabbed my backpack and hurried out of the classroom. At any normal day I would wait for Maya and hang out with friends. But the only thing I wanted to do was get as far ____away from the classroom as I could.__

I swallow repeatedly and force the memory back. If I keep thinking about it, I'll never get any work done. I have to get this done by tonight.

*****knock knock*****

I ignore the knocks on my door. I don't care who it is. For once I'm not going to let anything distract me. I pick up my pencil from the desk and once again attack the miserable math problems.

****Cody****

After knocking constantly, I come to the conclusion that Zack is not going to answer the door. His distress level has been rising rapidly for the past hour. That's why I came to see him in the first place. Something's bothering him and I know it. It's my job to cheer him up. I open the door and enter his cabin.

"Hey Zack, it's still early. What do you say we grab the girls and go to the Aqua Lounge for dinner? I hear there's going to be free pie tasting."

No response. Zack is hunched over his desk. This is strange in itself, because Zack usually never uses his desk. He's concentrating so hard that he doesn't hear me. I walk over to the desk and look over his shoulder. "What are you working on?'

Zack quickly puts his arms across his desk to cover it up, but I can still see what he's doing. I notice a very complicated calculus problem on a worksheet next to his book. I stare at my twin in shock. Zack? Doing homework? From the looks of it, he's not having much luck. That explains why he's so stressed out.

I slap him on the back playfully. "Don't worry about the assignment. I'll do it. Let's just get Bailey and Maya and have a good time."

Zack sighs deeply. "I can't, Cody. I have to get this done."

I feel as though I had been transported into another dimension. This is so weird. For once I want to go out and have fun while Zack just wants to stay in his cabin and do homework.

As I continue to watch my twin, I start to realize that this is not the only reason why he's so tense. Something big happened. I pull up an adjacent chair and sit next to him. Zack tenses up even more, his hands shaking.

"What happened?" I ask gently.

For the first time since I came in, Zack meets my gaze. It's obvious that he doesn't want to tell me what happened. Unfortunately for him, his blue eyes and our connection are telling me everything I need to know. I feel as though I was in the classroom with him. I can feel his confusion, his humiliation. This explains everything.

"She actually said that to you?" I ask angrily.

"Yes," Zack mumbles, his eyes lowering to the ground. "And I'm sure you agree with her."

I start to protest, but stop because of the next thought in his head.

__It wouldn't be so complicated if you didn't have only one brain cell__

I wince. I shouldn't have said that during the Gemini project and now he can't get that sentence out of his head. It's my fault he doesn't believe in himself anymore. I've got to make things right. He has to know how much potential he really has. I just hope he'll be willing to listen to me.

****Zack****

I feel slightly better now that Cody knows what happened. I refuse to look at him. I'm too ashamed. Cody puts a hand on my shoulder. "Zack, I know you don't believe this anymore, but despite what other people say, you are smart." I roll my eyes, not believing a word. "No you are. All those pranks you've pulled on me over the years prove it. Some of them, especially the one you pulled on me on Christmas Day took a lot of work and thought. In order to pull that prank you used a lot of math and science. I can't believe I'm admitting this, but I was impressed."

I lift my head to meet his intense gaze. "Really?"

"Really. And I understand why you're so stressed out. This stuff isn't easy."

"It's easy for you," I mumble miserably.

"That's because I study hard. It's not that I'm smarter than you. I just work a lot harder. I bet if you put in the same effort, you could do just as well You have potential." Cody gives my shoulder a gentle squeeze. I relax at his touch. "And it never hurts to ask for help."

I swallow back my fear. This is not going to be easy. "Cody, could you help me with this assignment?"

"Of course."

I scoot over so Cody has room to look at the problems on the worksheet. "Now what you need to do is-."

"Cody?"

"Yeah?"

I smile warmly at my twin. "Thanks for not giving up on me."

He reaches over and gives me a quick hug. "I'll never give up on you, Zack."

While we turn our attention back to the assignment, I feel the stress and worry fade away. I am happier and more confident. I'm so glad that no matter what happens, Cody will always believe in me.

****The End****

****Thanks for reading. Please review :)****


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